Decorative covering for a container component

ABSTRACT

A decorative covering for a container component of the type having a bottom member and a multi-sided wall member. The covering includes a blank of sheet material overlying the exterior surfaces of both the bottom member and the wall member. The sheet material overlying the wall member is provided with grooves which receive at least one of two inwardly disposed parallel flanges on a trim member surrounding the wall member. The other flange on the trim member may overlap the upper edge of the wall member. Alternatively, the other flange may be seated in a second parallel groove in the sheet material covering the wall member.

United States Patent Bergh et al.

[451 July 11,1972

[54] DECORATIVE COVERING FOR A CONTAINER COMPONENT [72] Inventors: George G. Bergh, Plainville; Robert G.

Bergh, North Attleboro, both of Mass.

[21] Appl.No.: 34,247

[52] U.S. Cl. ..229/6 R, 220/73, 229/8, 229/55 [51] Int. Cl ..B65d 15/22 [58] Field ofSearch ..229/8,6R, 5.5,5.7, 14 BA, 229/44 M; 220/65, 73; 29/453 [56] I References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,671,592 3/1954 Page ..229/5.7 1,860,830 5/1932 Adamson ..229/6 R 2,735,609 2/l956 Prew ..229/ 44 M FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 784,639 10/1957 Great Britain ..229/5.5

838,] 10 6/1960 Great Britain ..220/73 Primary Examiner-Donald F. Norton Attorney-Chittick, Pfund, Birch, Samuels & Gauthier [57] ABSTRACT A decorative covering for a container component of the type having a bottom member and a multi-sided wall member. The covering includes a blank of sheet material overlying the exterior surfaces of both the bottom member and the wall member. The sheet material overlying the wall member is provided with grooves which receive at least one of two inwardly disposed parallel flanges on a trim member surrounding the wall member. The other flange on the trim member may overlap the upper edge of the wall member. Alternatively, the other flange may be seated in a second parallel groove in the sheet material covering the wall member.

1 Claim, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUL 1 1 I972 I.\'\I5\"I'OR.S GEORGE G. BERGH ROBERT G. BERGH M, M,-%

Fig. 5.

ATTORNEYS DECORATIVE COVERING FOR A CONTAINER COMPONENT DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to container components, for example the base and/or lid sections of boxes and the like, and is particularly concerned with a novel and improved decorative covering together with the method of applying the same.

As herein employed, the term container is used in the broad sense and includes boxes, frames, trays and other like structures which define cavities or chambers adapted to contain and/or display items.

One of the principle objects of the present invention is to provide a unique covering for a container component which is attractive, durable and easy to apply. Another object of the invention is the provision of a decorative covering employing a metal trim member, with an improved means and method for vertically locating and permanently securing the trim member to the wall of the container element. A further object of the present invention is to provide a means for securing a trim member to the wall of a container component, which means is simple and relatively inexpensive to employ, and which does not in any way detract from the overall appearance of the resulting combination.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent as the description proceeds with the aid of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container component, specifically the base section of a box combination, employing the concepts of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3-5 are somewhat schematic illustrations depicting the steps involved in applying the trim member to a container component which has previously been covered by a blank of sheet material; and,

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken through a box combination embodying an alternate embodiment of the invention.

With reference initially to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a container component, specifically the base section 10 of a box assembly generally indicated at 12. The base section is connected to a lid section 14 by means of a pivotal hinge assembly 16.

The base section 10 includes a bottom member 18 having a multi-sided wall member generally indicated at 20 extending upwardly therefrom. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the wall member has four sides indicated individually by the reference numerals 20a, 20b, 20c and 20d.

The number of sides making up the wall member as well as the material employed are not critical to the present invention and are employed herein simply as a basis for further description of the decorative covering which is the essence of the present invention.

The decorative covering includes a suitable pre-cut blank of flexible sheet material 22, for example, paper, cloth or the like, which overlies the bottom member 18, extends around the lower edge 24 of the wall member 20, then up along its exterior surface to the upper wall edge 26, and finally over the upper edge 26 and down along the interior wall surface where the covering terminates at a line 28. The flexible covering may be adhered to the bottom member 18 and/or wall member 20 by any known means.

One or more of the wall sides are next subjected to an exterior marking operation which produces an elongated locating groove 30 in the sheet material 22 overlying the wall member. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, one such locating groove 30 is shown at a point intermediate the upper and lower edges 24 and 26 of the wall side 200. Although not shown in the drawings, it will be understood that another locating groove is preferably provided on the exterior of the opposite wall side 20c. If desired, locating grooves may also be provided on wall sides 20b and 20d. A metal trim member 32 completes the decorative covering. The trim member 32 has a plurality of sides equal in number to the sides of the wall member 20 and is suitably designed to be bent from an initial straight form to the multi-sided form shown on the drawings. The ends of the initially straight trim member are provided with conventional male and female elements (not shown) which serve to permanently interconnect the ends of the trim member.

The trim member 32 is further provided with a pair of inwardly disposed parallel flanges 34 and 36. In the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1-5, the lower flange 36 is adapted to be seated in locating groove 30, and the upper flange, which preferably is provided with a width greater than that of the lower flange 36, overlaps the upper edge 26 of the wall member 20. By seating the lower trim flange 36 in groove 30 and allowing the upper rim flange 34 to overlap the upper edge 26 of the box, the trim member 32 is vertically located and held on the wall member 20 in a simple yet extremely effective manner. This results in an attractive finished appearance which is rugged enough to withstand extended use without fear of the trim member becoming accidentally loosened or disengaged from the wall member 20.

The method of applying the decorative covering shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is depicted somewhat schematically in F IGS. 3-5. In FIG. 3, the base section 10 is shown with only the flexible sheet material 22 adhered thereto. With further-reference to FIG. 4, it will be seen that the sheet material overlying the wall member 20 is next marked by means of the cooperative use of a mandrel 44 inserted in the base section 10 and a knifelike element 46 which is forced against the exterior wall surface to produce a locating groove 30 of the desired length and depth. Once this has been accomplished, the metal trim member 32 is next applied as shown in FIG. 5. Preferably, this is accomplished by bending the rim circumferentially around the box and then interconnecting the rims male and female ends.

FIG. 6 shows a modified form of the invention employed in conjunction with a box assembly 12 which is again comprised of a base section 10 and a lid section 14. The base section includes a bottom member 18' and a wall member 20 both being covered by a blank of flexible sheet material 22'. This embodiment differs from that depicted in FIGS. 1-5 in that the sheet material overlying wall member 20' is provided on at least one and preferably two oppositely disposed sides, with a pair of laterally spaced parallel locating grooves 30a and 30b. The locating grooves are spaced below the upper wall edge 26' and above the lower wall edge 24, and are arranged to receive the two inwardly disposed flanges 34' and 36' of a metal trim component 32. The flanges 34' and 36 are of equal width.

This arrangement vertically locates and permanently mounts the metal trim member 32 on the wall member 20' at the position shown between upper and lower wall edges 26' and 24.

The lid section 14 is further comprised of a top panel 38 and a surrounding rim 40, both of which are preferably covered with sheet material 42 selected to combine with sheet material 22 in providing a compatable attractive appearance. When in the closed position shown by the solid lines in FIG. 6, the rim 40 of the lid section 14 surrounds the upper portion of wall member 20' and rests on the upper flange 34 of trim member 32'. When the box is opened, the lid section may if desired be reversed and positioned as shown in dotted in FIG. 6, with the rim 40 surrounding the lower section of wall 20 and bearing upwardly against the lower flange 36 of trim component 32'.

In view of the foregoing description, it will now be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the present invention provides a simple yet durable and attractive means for applying a decorative covering,including a metal trim member, to a container component. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-5, the trim member 32 serves primarily as a decorative piece. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the trim member 32' again serves as a decorative piece, and in addition also functionally covering comprising: a blank of sheet material overlying the exterior surfaces of the bottom member and the multi-sided wall member; a pair of laterally spaced grooves in the sheet material overlying said wall member, said grooves being located between and extending in a direction parallel to the upper and lower edges of the wall member; and, a trim member surrounding said wall member and supported thereby, said trim member having inwardly extending flanges of equal width seated in said grooves. 

1. For use with a container component of the type having a bottom member and a multi-sided wall member, a decorative covering comprising: a blank of sheet material overlying the exterior surfaces of the bottom member and the multi-sided wall member; a pair of laterally spaced grooves in the sheet material overlying said wall member, said grooves being located between and extending in a direction parallel to the upper and lower edges of the wall member; and, a trim member surrounding said wall member and supported thereby, said trim member having inwardly extending flanges of equal width seated in said grooves. 